Washer and crushing apparatus for disposable trays

ABSTRACT

The apparatus washes and crushes disposable metallic food trays. The trays are placed on a first conveyor, and they are inverted as the are dropped onto a second conveyor located below the downstream end of the first conveyor. A spray of water is directed onto the trays, both as they are falling from the first conveyor and after they have assumed an inverted position on the second conveyor. The second conveyor transports the tray into engagement with the return run of the first conveyor to squeeze the tray and initiate crushing. The tray is first crushed between a crusher roller and the upstream roller for the first conveyor and then is further crushed by a pair of supplemental crusher rollers.

nited States Patent Karina 51 Feb.29,]1972 [54] WASHER AND CRUSHING APPARATUS FOR DISPOSABLE TRAYS 211 Appl. No.: 89,246

[52] US. Cl. ..100/70 R, 100/49, 100/139, 100/152, 100/153, 100/176, 134/48, 134/63,

[51] Int. Cl ..B30b 7/00 [58] Field of Search ..134/48, 63, 68, 72,115,115 G, 134/62, 46; 100/49, 70 R, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 137, 138,139,176,193,155, 173,l52,153,102

3,232,425 2/1966 Van Hansen et al ..134/115 G 3,384,007 5/1968 Boje et a] ..100/49 3,223,097 12/1965 Spaulding ..134/46 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 731,396 9/1932 France ..100/139 Primary Examiner-Billy J. Wilhite Att0rneyPendleton, Neuman, Williams & Anderson [5 7] ABSTRACT The apparatus washes and crushes disposable metallic food trays. The trays are placed on a first conveyor, and they are inverted as the are dropped onto a second conveyor located below the downstream end of the first conveyor. A spray of water is directed onto the trays, both as they are falling from the first conveyor and after they have assumed an inverted position on the second conveyor. The second conveyor transports the tray into engagement with the return run of the first conveyor to squeeze the tray and initiate crushing. The tray is first crushed between a crusher roller and the upstream roller for the first conveyor and then is further crushed by a pair of supplemental crusher rollers.

13 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDFEB 29 1972 SHEET 1 OF 4 WASHER AND CRUSIIING APPARATUS IFOR DISPOSABLE TRAYS- BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an apparatus for washing and crushing disposable trays such as the disposable metallic food trays in which meals are served. The apparatus is particularly adapted for use in connection with the serving of institutionalmeals such as, for example, school lunches where the lunches are heated and served in disposable metallic food trays, It has been found economically advantageous to reclaim these trays for resale as aluminum scrap to the aluminum industry and the tray manufacturers. In such reclamation it is desirable to have the trays crushed as flat as possible, and for sanitation reasons it is desirable to have the trays washed before they are crushed. I I

The apparatus of the instant invention thoroughly washes and-flatly crushes disposable metallic food trays which are fed into it. Moreover, these functions are accomplished quickly, easily and automatically with minimum handling by the operator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The apparatus constructed in accordance with this inven tion washes and crushes disposable metallic food trays. In one form the apparatus comprises a first conveyor for receiving the. trays and a second conveyor disposed below the downstream end of the first conveyor for receiving the tray as they fall from the first conveyor. Spray means directs a water spray onto at least one side of the trays, both before and after they reach the second conveyor, and roller means disposed adjacent the downstream end of the second conveyor crushes the trays to a substantially flat condition.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the trays are inverted as they are transferred by gravity from the first to the second conveyor, and this inversion may be aided by the water spray which impinges on the trays as they drop. The second conveyor runs in the direction opposite the first conveyor so that the trays will be conveyed beneath the first conveyor The top run of the second conveyor converges with the return or bottom run of the first conveyor, thereby squeezing the trays between the two conveyors and initiating the crushing.

The first conveyor has a roller at its upstream end, and a crusher roller is positioned below and in close proximity to this upstream roller. The second conveyor extends toward but terminates just short of the upstream roller of the first conveyor, and thus the second conveyor feeds the trays between the crusher roller and the upstream roller of the first conveyor which functions as may be considered to be a crusher roller. The trays are crushed flat between these two crusher rollers.

It is preferred that a pair of supplemental crusher rollers be positioned downstream from the first crusher rollers to further crush each tray and to discharge the crushed trays from the apparatus. These rollers also eliminate as much water as possible from the crushed trays.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS with reference to the drawings: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a washing and crushing apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus taken from the side of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. ll;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the top portion of the apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevational view of the top portion of the apparatus taken substantially along line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a portion of the apparatus with the housing removed to show the first and second conveyor means;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 7-7 of FIG. 5 and showing the second conveyor means;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the top portion of the apparatus taken from the side opposite that illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of the operating portions of the apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With further reference to the drawings and more particularly to FIGS. ll, 2 and 3, the apparatus 10 is adapted to wash and crush disposable metallic food trays of the type used for the serving of institutional lunches such as, for example, school lunches. Such food trays are usually constructed of aluminum foil, and they are designed to permit ready heating and serving of the food portions contained therein.

After the food has been consumed the trays are fed into the apparatus 10, and they are automatically washed and crushed so that they may be reclaimed and sold as scrap.

The apparatus 10 includes a frame 12, the base of which may be provided with casters 14 to permit the easy movement of the apparatus from one location to another. Attached to the frame 12 at a suitable height is a housing 16 having a top opening or tray charging port 18 and an end opening or traydischarging port 20 (see FIGS. 4 and 5). In the preferred embodiment the housing and mechanisms contained therein are of a size just sufficient to accommodate a single line or column of trays, so that the trays are fed into the port I8 one at a time.

Within the housing 16 is a first conveyor means 22 onto which each tray is charged through the opening 18 in the housing. A second conveyor means 24 is disposed below the downstream end (i.e., the right-hand end as viewed in FIG. 5) of the first conveyor means 22, and this second conveyor means receives each tray as it falls from the first conveyor means. A spray means, which in the illustrated embodiment comprises spraying units 26 and 28, directs a water spray onto at least one side of each tray, both at a time before the tray reaches the second conveyor means 24 and at a time after the tray is in position on the second conveyor means. Roller means 30 disposed adjacent the downstream end of the second conveyor means is operative for crushing each tray to a substantially fiat condition and for discharging the crushed trays through the discharge port 20 in the apparatus housing.

It will be noted that the bottom of floor 32 of the apparatus housing l6 slopes downwardly to a drain 34 through which are discharged all of the water from the spray means and the food which has been washed from the trays. A garbage disposal unit 36 is preferably hooked to this drain 34 so that any solid food particles may be satisfactorily ground or pulverized prior to discharge from the apparatus. The effluent from the garbage disposal is pumped from the disposal through a conduit 38 by means of a pump 40 having a discharge connection 40a. The pump 40 is connected to and operated by means of a motor 42.

The first conveyor means 22 comprises an endless woven belt 44 which extends around a first support roller 46 and a second support roller 48. The belt 44 and the rollers 46 and 48 rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows so that the first support roller 46 is the upstream roller of the first conveyor means 22, and the roller 48 is the downstream roller. The roller 46 is mounted on a drive shaft 50, and the roller 48 is journaled for rotation on an idler shaft 52.

The second conveyor means 24 is preferably of open construction so that the water spray may impinge upon the trays and so that the food which is being washed from the trays may readily fall to the bottom 32 of the housing. In the illustrated embodiment the second conveyor means is formed of three separate, endless conveyor chains 54, 56 and 58. As best illustrated in FIG. 7 these endless conveyor chains extend around sprockets 60, 61 and 62 which are keyed to an idler shaft 63. The conveyor chains also extend around three corresponding sprockets 64, 65 and 66 which are keyed to an idler shaft 67, and, finally, these chains extend around sprockets 68, 69 and 70 keyed to a drive shaft 72. The sprockets and chains 54-58 rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5, and thus the idler shaft 63 is located at the upstream end of the conveyor means 24, and the idler shaft 67 is located at the downstream end of this conveyor means.

It will be apparent from FIGS. 5 and 6 that the first conveyor means 22 is driven in a direction opposite that of the second conveyor means 24 (considering the direction of movement of the top runs of each of the two conveyor means). It is to be noted that the idler shaft 67 of the second conveyor means 24 is elevated with respect to the idler shaft 63. Thus the top runs of the chains 54, S6 and 58 are angled upwardly toward the lower run of the endless belt 44 of the first conveyor means 22. The lower run of the endless belt 44 is itself angled upwardly with respect to the horizontal, though at a somewhat lesser angle than the top run of the chains 54-58. As a result the lower run of the belt 44 and the upper run of the chains 54-58 converge at a very small angle so that the trays which have fallen upon the conveyor means 24 will be moved by the chains 54-58 laterally and upwardly (i.e., to the left in FIG. 5) into engagement with the lower run of the endless belt 44. These trays will be pinched or squeezed between the upper runs of the conveyor chains 54-58 and the lower run of the endless belt 44. This assures that the trays will be held in place during washing, and they will be positively gripped and transported to and through the roller crusher means 30 of the apparatus. This squeezing or pinching action also results in the concomitant initiation of crushing of the trays as they are moved toward the roller means 30.

The upstream end of the top run of the second conveyor means 24 as determined by the position of the idler shaft 67 extends toward but terminates just short of the upstream or first support roller 46 of the first conveyor means 22. The roller 46 thus serves a dual function as one of the crusher rollers of the roller crushing means 30. A second crusher roller 74 is disposed immediately below the roller 46 with the surface of the roller 46 being in close proximity and preferably in engagement with the endless belt 44 as that belt travels around the bottom of the roller 46. The roller 74 is mounted on a drive shaft 76, and it is preferred that the exterior surface of the roller 74 be formed of a resilient material such as, for example, rubber. The rollers 46 and 48 may be steel surfaced although, if preferred, one or both of these may be rubber surfaced. The trays are moved into the nip of the rollers 46 and 74 by the second conveyor means cooperating with the bottom run of the first conveyor means 22 against which they are squeezed and gripped.

The trays are smashed or crushed flat between the rollers 46 and 74, or more properly between the rubber surfaced roller 74 and the endless belt 44 which extends around the roller 46. While the flattened trays could be discharged from the apparatus at this point, it is preferred that a pair of supplemental crusher rollers 78 and 80 be employed, these being positioned immediately downstream from the first crusher rollers 46 and 74 so that the flattened and crushed trays are gripped and further crushed between the supplemental rollers 78 and 80 as they exit from between the rollers 46 and 74. The supplemental roller 78 is mounted on a drive shaft 79, and the roller 80 is mounted on a drive shaft 81. The supplemental rollers may be rubber surfaced, and they not only serve to further crushed and flatten the trays, but they also serve to squeeze the excess water from the crushed trays and to direct the flattened and crushed trays from the exit port 20 of the apparatus housing.

The washing of the trays as they pass through the apparatus isaccomplished by the spray means which includes first and second spraying units 26 and 28, and this may be supplemented by a supplemental spray means which comprises a spraying unit 82 and, if desired, a spraying unit 84. The first spraying unit 26 includes a spray nozzle 2611 connected to a solenoid valve 26b which, in turn is connected to a water supply by means ofa hose 260. The first spray unit 26 is positioned so that the spray from the manifold 260 will impinge upon each tray as it is dropping from the first conveyor means 22 onto the second conveyor means 24. The impingement is preferably such that the tray will not only be washed by the spray from this first spraying unit, but the tray will actually be aided in being inverted as it drops from the first conveyor means to the second.

The second spray unit 28 includes a pipelike manifold 28a connected to a solenoid valve 26b which, in turn, is connected to a source of water supply by means of a hose 26c (see HO. 8). The manifold 28a is positioned just below the top run of the conveyor chains 54-58 of the second conveyor means 24 at approximately the midpoint of the run which is beneath the return or bottom run of the conveyor means 22. The holes or spraying apertures in the manifold are preferably angularly disposed to spray over a greater area and over a greater length of the conveyor run. If desired, several manifolds or spray bars 26a could be employed for this purpose. As each tray moves into position for impingement of the spray from the second spray unit 28, the tray will actually be held in place by the bottom run of the top or first conveyor means 22, and this permits a very powerful spray to be employed to clean the trays as they pass over and in close proximity to the spray unit 28. Since the trays are relatively light, were they not held in place by the return run of the first conveyor means, they would be easily moved about by the spray from the second spray unit 28', as a result they might not properly pass through the apparatus, and they would not be as thoroughly cleaned by the spray.

The supplemental spraying units 82 and 84 are primarily intended to clean the roller crusher means 30, although the unit 82 is positioned between the first set of crusher rollers 46 and 74 and the supplemental crusher rollers 78 and 80 so that concomitant further cleaning of the initially crushed trays may also be accomplished to some extent by this spray unit. The supplemental spraying unit 82 includes a nozzle 82a that is connected to a solenoid valve 82b which, in turn, is connected to a water supply by means of a hose 82c. The jet or spray of water is sprayed from the side of the housing 16 onto the crushed trays as they exit from between the pressure rollers 46 and 74, and as they move into the nip of the supplemental crusher rollers 78 and 80. The water spray not only tends to clean the trays, but it also tends to clean the belt 44, the crusher roller 74 and the supplemental crusher rollers 78 and 80. Additional cleaning of the crusher rollers is accomplished by the second supplemental spraying unit 84 which has a nozzle 84a connected to a solenoid valve 84!) which, in turn, is connected to a water supply by means ofa hose 840. The spray from the second supplemental spraying unit 84 impinges on the rollers 80 and 74 and on the bottom of the housing 16 to wash all of the waste material which has been washed from the trays and rollers toward the drain 34.

The drive means for the apparatus 10 is best illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4 and 8. The output shaft of the motor 42 is connected by means of suitable transmission and reduction gear mechanisms 91 to a drive gear 92. The drive gear 92 meshes with a spur gear 94 keyed to the drive shaft 72 on which are mounted the conveyor chain sprockets 6870 of the second conveyor means 24. The drive gear 92 also meshes with a spur gear 96 keyed to the drive shaft 76 on which the crusher roller 74 is mounted. The spur gear 96, in turn, is in meshing engagement with an identical spur gear 98 keyed to the shaft 50 on which the first support or upstream roller 46 of the first conveyor means 22 is mounted. Thus the rollers 46 and 74 are operated at the same speed. Also in mesh with the spur gear 96 is a connecting spur gear 100 mounted on an idler shaft 102, and this connecting spur gear 100 is in meshing engagement with a spur gear 104 keyed to the shaft 81 on which the lower supplemental crusher roller 80 is mounted. The spur gear 104, in turn, is in meshing engagement with an identical spur gear 106 keyed to the shaft 79 on which the upper supplemental crusher roller 78 is mounted. Thus the crusher rollers 78 and 80 are operated at the same speed, and the crusher rollers and conveyor means are all operated in synchronizatlon.

The operation of the apparatus 10 may be controlled by means ofa control unit 108 having an on-off switch 110. Once the unit is turned on it may be controlled by suitable control mechanism such as, for example, an electric eye 112 operating through a delay timer 114 of standard well-known construction. The timer 114 may be constructed so that each time the electric eye circuit 112 is broken, the timer 114 will operate all mechanisms of the apparatus for a period sufficient to completely move a tray through the apparatus. lf desired a mode switch 116 may be employed so that the apparatus may be run either with control from the electric eye circuit or constantly without use of the electric eye circuit.

in operation, the apparatus is turned on by depressing the on-off switch 110. The operator then merely inserts the trays one at a time into the top opening 18 in the housing as the tray is positioned in the opening, the electric eye circuit is interrupted actuating the timing mechanism 114. Trays are fed to the machine by the operator one time, and'they are inserted right side up, i.e., with the concave or interior food-holding portion up, since this is the portion of the tray from which food is to be washed. The first conveyor means 22 moves the trays to the right as viewed in FIG. 5, and at the end of the conveyor run thetrays drop from the end of the first conveyor means onto the second conveyor means 22. As the trays drop they are hit by a water spray from the first spray unit 26, and this together with the dropping of the trays from the first conveyor means causes the trays to be inverted so that they land upside down on the second conveyor means 24. Thus the interior food-holding portion of each tray is disposed downwardly on the second conveyor means 24. The second conveyor means then moves the tray beneath the first conveyor means, and the tray is pinched between the top run of the second conveyor means and the bottom run of the first conveyor means as it moves into position for impingement of the spray from the second spray unit 28. The spray unit 28 is in close proximity to the tray as it moves over the manifold pipe 28a of the spray unit, and whatever food remains on the tray after the initial spray from the spray unit 26 is efficiently cleaned off by the action of the second spray unit 28.

As the tray moves on past the second spray unit it is further gripped and pinched between the first and second conveyor means to somewhat initiate the crushing of the tray, and it is then forced into the nip between the crusher rollers 46 and 74 or, more properly, between the roller 74 and the belt 44 encircling the roller 46. Since the tray is an aluminum foil tray it will be crushed flat as it moves between these rollers, and it will be further crushed as it is moved between the supplemental crusher rollers 78 and 80 to be ejected through the discharge port 20 in the housing of the apparatus. The crushed and flattened trays may be discharged into a container (not shown in the drawings) located beneath the discharge port 20.

The apparatus [0 thus provides an efficient and quick means for washing and crushing the food trays so that they may be in a form most efficient for storage and shipping back to the aluminum industry or the tray manufacturer as scrap material. The washing of the trays is efficient, thereby making the reclamation of the trays a sanitary operation. The entire operation of the apparatus is automatic, and the only handling required by the operator is the initial insertion of the trays into the opening in the apparatus.

It is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that many additional modifications and changes in various details may be resorted to without departing from the invention as hereinafter claimed.

lclaim:

1. in a washing and crushing apparatus for disposable metallic food trays, first conveyor means for receiving the trays, second conveyor means disposed below the downstream end of said first conveyor means for receiving the trays as they fall from said first conveyor means, spray means for directing a water spray onto at least one side of the trays both before and after they reach said second conveyor means. and roller means disposed adjacent the downstream end of said second conveyor means for crushing said trays to a substantially flat condition.

2. The structure of claim ll wherein said spray means includes a first spray head positioned for spraying the trays as they are falling from said first conveyor means, and a second spray head beneath said second conveyor means for spraying the trays as they are being moved toward said crushing means by said second conveyor means.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said first spray head is positioned to impinge a spray against each tray as it falls from said first conveyor means whereby said tray will be inverted as it falls onto said second conveyor means.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said second conveyor means is spaced sufficiently below the downstream end of said first conveyor means whereby said trays will be inverted as they fall onto said second conveyor means.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said second conveyor means is operated in a direction opposite said first conveyor means whereby the trays will be conveyed beneath said first conveyor means to said roller-crushing means.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein each of said first and second conveyor means includes an endless belt, with the top run of said second conveyor means endless belt and the bottom run of said first conveyor means endless belt converging to initiate crushing of the trays.

7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said first conveyor means endless belt is a webbed belt and said second conveyor means endless belt is a chain belt.

8. The structure of claim 6 wherein said second conveyor means endless belt is formed of a plurality of laterally spaced endless chains driven in substantial synchronization.

9. The structure of claim 1 wherein said first conveyor means includes an endless belt which extends around an upstream roller and a downstream roller, the downstream end of said second conveyor means extending toward but terminating just short of said first conveyor means upstream roller, and

said roller means including a crushing roller positioned below and in close proximity to said first conveyor means upstream roller, whereby trays are fed by said second conveyor means for crushing between said crusher roller and said first conveyor means upstream roller.

10. The structure of claim 9 wherein a pair of supplemental crusher rollers are positioned downstream from said crusher roller and said first conveyor means upstream roller to further crush each tray.

11. The structure of claim 10 wherein said apparatus further includes a housing having a tray charging port located above said first conveyor means endless belt and a tray discharge port located downstream from the nip of said pair of supplemental crusher rollers.

12. The structure of claim 10 and further including supplemental spray means for spraying the trays after they have been crushed between said crusher roller and said first conveyor means upstream roller and before they have been crushed between said supplemental crusher rollers.

13. in a washing and crushing apparatus for disposable metallic food trays, conveyor means including a pair of endless conveyors for engaging opposite sides of each tray and transporting the tray through at least a portion of the apparatus, spray means for directing water onto at least one side of each tray as it is being engaged on opposite sides and transported by the conveyors of said conveyor means, and means adjacent said conveyor means for crushing said trays to a substantially flat condition. 

1. In a washing and crushing apparatus for disposable metallic food trays, first conveyor means for receiving the trays, second conveyor means disposed below the downstream end of said first conveyor means for receiving the trays as they fall from said first conveyor means, spray means for directing a water spray onto at least one side of the trays both before and after they reach said second conveyor means. and roller means disposed adjacent the downstream end of said second conveyor means for crushing said trays to a substantially flat condition.
 2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said spray means includes a first spray head positioned for spraying the trays as they are falling from said first conveyor means, and a second spray head beneath said second conveyor means for spraying the trays as they are being moved toward said crushing means by said second conveyor means.
 3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said first spray head is positioned to impinge a spray against each tray as it falls from said first conveyor means whereby said tray will be inverted as it falls onto said second conveyor means.
 4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said second conveyor means is spaced sufficiently below the downstream end of said first conveyor means whereby said trays will be inverted as they fall onto said second conveyor means.
 5. The structure of claim 1 wherein said second conveyor means is operated in a direction opposite said first conveyor means whereby the trays will be conveyed beneath said first conveyor means to said roller-crushing means.
 6. The structure of claim 5 wherein each of said first and second conveyor means includes an endless belt, with the top run of said second conveyor means endless belt and the bottom run of said first conveyor means endless belt converging to initiate crushing of the trays.
 7. The structure of claim 6 wherein said first conveyor means endless belt is a webbed belt and said second conveyor mEans endless belt is a chain belt.
 8. The structure of claim 6 wherein said second conveyor means endless belt is formed of a plurality of laterally spaced endless chains driven in substantial synchronization.
 9. The structure of claim 1 wherein said first conveyor means includes an endless belt which extends around an upstream roller and a downstream roller, the downstream end of said second conveyor means extending toward but terminating just short of said first conveyor means upstream roller, and said roller means including a crushing roller positioned below and in close proximity to said first conveyor means upstream roller, whereby trays are fed by said second conveyor means for crushing between said crusher roller and said first conveyor means upstream roller.
 10. The structure of claim 9 wherein a pair of supplemental crusher rollers are positioned downstream from said crusher roller and said first conveyor means upstream roller to further crush each tray.
 11. The structure of claim 10 wherein said apparatus further includes a housing having a tray charging port located above said first conveyor means endless belt and a tray discharge port located downstream from the nip of said pair of supplemental crusher rollers.
 12. The structure of claim 10 and further including supplemental spray means for spraying the trays after they have been crushed between said crusher roller and said first conveyor means upstream roller and before they have been crushed between said supplemental crusher rollers.
 13. In a washing and crushing apparatus for disposable metallic food trays, conveyor means including a pair of endless conveyors for engaging opposite sides of each tray and transporting the tray through at least a portion of the apparatus, spray means for directing water onto at least one side of each tray as it is being engaged on opposite sides and transported by the conveyors of said conveyor means, and means adjacent said conveyor means for crushing said trays to a substantially flat condition. 